Slaves were expected to till the soil for many hours a day on a large plantation in which many died from exhaustion.

Farmer Frank would till his fields at night because it was so much cooler at night than the scorching hot sun during the daytime.

“If you till the soil and plant the seeds,” the agricultural specialist said, “you should be able to grow crops within a year.”

Looking at the acres of land along the highway, I noticed the disturbed soil in the fields indicating that the farmer did till the land recently.

Traditionally, planters would till the soil with a horse-drawn plow with someone directing it.